


Heaven on High gone wrong

by Soupreme



Series: Heaven on High gone wrong [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Dungeon, Exploration, F/F, Heaven on High, Treasure Hunting, ka-boom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29372421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soupreme/pseuds/Soupreme
Summary: With Palace of the Dead complete, adventurers might seek a greater challenge within the confines of Heaven on High and its 100 floors of dungeon crawling sure to lure even the weariest treasure hunters. Including the two Warriors of Light. Surely it couldn't be harder than Palace with half the floors and easier enemies across the board?Depends on how empty your head is I suppose...
Series: Heaven on High gone wrong [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2157585
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	Heaven on High gone wrong

They had first heard of it in an Ishgardian bar. It was late. A hard day’s work in the Diadem had Ainya and Crystal deciding to partake in a ‘treat night’, as Ainya called it, and went to a local Mist tavern near their homestead to let off a little steam and enjoy the night. 

The atmosphere was bustling, each table full with parties talking at varying volume levels amongst themselves as the band played on the stage in the corner of the tavern. The weary adventurers claimed stools at the bar counter to place orders and had barely even finished speaking with the waitress when they heard a group of adventurers mention in passing the monolithic effigy protruding from the Ruby Sea. 

“Heaven on High... “ Crystal murmured the name to herself. “I’ve definitely heard that name before… But I thought that weird thing was totally hollow? Ainya have you ever-”

Ainya didn’t even wait around for Crystal’s thought to finish. With swagger, she approached the rather prestigious looking party and inquired into what exactly they were speaking about. Crystal soon joined her side, and they informed the duo it was a new, more intense form of deep dungeon expedition. More enemies, more peril, but more importantly: more loot.

“Loot you say?” Ainya’s eyes lit up almost like spotlights at the concept. Just thinking about the potential Gil, especially after hitting it big in Palace just a few short weeks prior, had her giddily thinking of the potential spoils that could soon be lining her pockets. “How does one get into this palace, friends?”

“Oh that’s easy, there’s a group of two gents out front of a shack in Onokoro that can help you with the necessary teleportation requirements.”

“Perrrrfect…” She purred, wistfully rolling her R “Now tell me more about this loot you spoke of. What are we talking? Mounts? Platinum pieces galore?!”

“That’s enough Ainya you silly girl. Thank you for the information you all. Please enjoy the rest of your evening.” Crystal thanked the party and flipped them five Gil coins before making an example of Ainya by softly pinching her ear, the Red Mage’s one weakness, turning her knees to gelatin as she dragged her back to where they were previously sat at the bar. By this point, their drinks had arrived, and Crystal wasted no time taking a swig of her flagon to help calm her nerves after the day they’d had.

“I swear sometimes I should keep you on a leash, you goofball.”

“Watch out cutie, I might just like it.”

Ainya laughed and emphatically grabbed her own pale ale, taking multiple chugs while her wife shook her head, yet was unable to hide the smirk coupled with just a hint of blush on her fair-skinned cheeks.

“Well… Maybe we’ll have to experiment then hmm? After this new dungeon of course, what do you say? I think I’m just as intrigued as you are about this new Heaven place.”

“You know I have the energy to spare! You’d better hurry up and finish that drink, cause I think we have two gatekeepers waiting to let us in on our next adventure darling.”

“Oh you, always so impulsive.” She shook her head yet again, ignoring her and nursing her drink at her own speed. “Enjoy tonight the loot will wait till tomorrow!”

Crystal karate chopped Ainya in the head softly, and the Miqo’te dramatically dropped her head to the counter, defeated and forlorn. But she was right. It was late and neither of them had nearly enough stamina to do any kind of raiding that night. Besides...the alcohol wasn’t going to drink itself.

“You don’t know that, but fine you win… Bartender! Bring the bottle, if you would! We’ll toast to our future riches, Crystal my dear!” 

\-----

  
FWOOSH

The two creaked the floorboards beneath their feet as their boots touched down inside the spawn room. Floor one of Heaven on High, and it was as breathtaking as the guardsmen promised. They took to familiarize themselves with the surroundings first and foremost. Noticeably different from the cavernous tunnels of the Palace, instead laminate wooden floors spanned out of their safe-zone and into the halls. Coupled with the fusuma wall paneling along the walls, it gave them a vibe similar to the Kugane apartment complexes, not a deep dungeon ready to be plundered.

“Wow. They really upgraded that decor of the place didn’t they?” Ainya scoffed, making sure the pouch with which she kept her necessary pomanders was close at hand, strapped to her belt.

“I must say it is just as stunning as the guards promised. We can’t let our guards down though, we have no idea what lays in store for- OI AINYA!”

The rambunctious Miqo'te had already taken off down the hallway, the pauldrons of her Ward Knight’s chest piece clanking together as she jogged as fast as her feet would take her into the fray. 

“Ainya wait for me! Teamwork will be key here and we don’t even have any pomanders to save your tail!” Crystal called out after her. But it was no use, the cavalier blonde was already in the midst of pulling the first enemy to solo all by herself. 

She was confident, Hitting the nearest foe she could find with all her channeled darkness. A rather vicious looking Bombfish was the recipient, and didn’t take too kindly to being stung with a pulse of Dark Aether, and began to approach her from across the room. It was slow, but Ainya continued approaching it as well, not wanting to wait for a second longer to get her blade some much needed bloodshed

“I’ll be fine Crystal! Just try and catch up quick before I kill everything!”

She waved her hand backward at her wife as she approached the center of the room. Only she didn’t hear a response. All she heard was an explosion. The trap beeped twice under her feet before exhuming her and the bomb fish in a torrent of black smoke and brimstone. 

The Miqo’te was sent sprawling backward, landing in a charred heap at the feet of her laughing significant other. She didn’t dare move, fearing something was seriously broken, but when no sharp pains struck chords in her she slowly used her Zwihander to raise herself to her feet.

“I tried to warn you….” Crystal said, wrapping Ainya’s one arm around her and assisting her to her feet. “Here drink this. You’re lucky you weren’t turned into a piece of charcoal on the floor.”

She handed over a sustaining potion to regain her strength, and Ainya wearily put the bottle to her lips and drank the bizarre tasting purple liquid. “You’re right…Without this armor, I would likely have ended up like that Bombfish over there.”

Her gaze shifted over to the pile of red viscera that had stained the middle of the room where they had encountered each other. The creature died instantly. Had it not, the two would have entirely new problems to be dealing with instead of licking Ainya’s wounds.

“Yep. I’ve seen my fair share of those mines, you know that. It’s weird to be the one helping you up for once.” Crystal cockily giggled, taking a step away from Ainya to make sure the effects of the potion were indeed taking hold of her immune system and healing her properly. “Let’s take it slow this time. No more running in and floor tanking like a newbie out of the academy, okay?”

“You got it… Laugh while you can, but I don’t plan on making a habit of getting blown to smithereens like a cartoon, ya know.”

Crystal didn’t take her seriously at all though. Not after that “cool” stunt she just watched. Instead, she motioned her hand to the next room, implying she lead the way as she had before. Nodding, still a hint of annoyance at how embarrassing she had just made herself look, the blonde swung her blade around and took a few timid steps towards the hall into the next room. 

The layout was different this time around. The hardwood floor this time was centered with a big square tatami mat, and there were no enemies inside. It was littered instead with chests of varying quality from bronze to silver to gold. And the best part: sat smack dab in the middle of the room sat an adorable golden Shiba puppy adorning a green scarf around its neck.

The pair of light warriors almost couldn’t believe their eyes. Was this some trap? An enemy in disguise? Could a dog be… Part of the loot?  
“AINYA LOOK HOW CUTE HE IS!” Crystal exclaimed, making a dash to approach him before Ainya extended her arm to stop her. 

“Remember what you just said? This has traps written all over it, trust me. This is too good to be true… I’ll handle this. You stand back for a sec.”

“B-but…. Puppy…”

As her Au’ra wife pouted behind her, slowly Ainya walked up and approached the dog. The creature happily smiled up at her, not showing any signs of ill will towards the party. It just looked like a regular old lost puppy, somehow having found its way into a dungeon of all places.

“Is it someone's minion?” 

“I don’t think so… At least it doesn’t appear like it is.”

Just as she knelt down to pet him, the dog emitted a green aura, as if casting a spell of sorts. “I KNEW IT!” Screamed Ainya, as she dashed back towards Crystal, wanting to shield her from this menace’s wicked strike it was to unleash. But to her dismay, a familiar sound....

Beep beep!! BOOM!!

\----

“Ainya! Ainya are you okay?!”

The light flickered back to her eyes, her eyelids opening groggily to the sight of Crystal frantically shaking her awake.

“W-what…. What hit me?”

“Oh thank the gods you’re okay. If I had lost you in such a stupid way I never would have forgiven myself.”

“That ugh… Doesn’t answer my question.” 

“You’re not going to like the answer.” Crystal looked away, visibly trying to hold back her giggles. “It was uhm… Another Crystal moment, let's just say that. You should thank that pup, his healing is the only reason we’re both still alive here.”

Nightmare fuel. Ainya’s heart sank, as out of the corner of her eye she could see the Shiba-inu dog wagging its tail and joyfully staring at the two with its beady eyes. Petals swirled around it, indicating it was emitting some sort of healing buff. No wonder she didn’t die after two landmines had gone off underneath her.  
“....Maybe you should lead from now on.” She softly said, through a pained expression

“Oh? Not so gung-ho now are we? Those mines hurt huh?”

“I wish you’d have let me die, anything would be preferable to the shame I’ve brought upon my family.”

Crystal grinned and held her up in her arms, as her partner laid dejectedly on the floor. Despite her teasing, she was genuinely happy to have her safe and sound, even if this was only...floor one. 

“It’ll be okay, just think of the loot sweetie.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is a new series similar to the Palace of the Dead gone wrong created by my great friend KazueEmiko, check her stuff out here! https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazueEmiko/pseuds/KazueEmiko
> 
> Thanks for reading! The stupid antics these two get up to in-game and in our heads will never cease to be an enjoyment to write, hopefully it's just as fun to read! Until next time! :)


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